Rail lubricating device



Oct. 31, 1939. Q STERN 2,177,752

RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed A ril s, 1936 2 Sheets-$heet 1 O. @ezo.j

INVENTOR 3 T'M flaw 101 v ATTORNEY c. STERN 2,177,752

RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed April 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q W! c O ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE RAILLUBRICATING DEVICE Charles Stern, Jersey City, N. J.

Application April 3, 1936, Serial No. 72,463

16 Claims.

This invention relates to raillubricating devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a rail lubricating device operable by the wave of 5 the rail and having a-lubricant applicatorattached to the rail for depositing a wide ribbon of lubricant on the rail head, said applicator being so constructed as to insure long use without substantial injury or wear.

I A further object of this invention is to provide a rail lubricating device of the character describedhaving a tank or reservoir which may be embedded in the roadbed between an adjacent pair of rail ties, the tank being so conm structed as to contain a relatively large amount of lubricant although fitting between the ties, and the operating mechanism for forcing lubricant from the tank being of such construction that the tank may be located on either the outside or inside of the rail.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in a rail lubricating device of the character described highly'improved means for rendering the actuating -means inoperative when 25* the grease or lubricant of the tank has been used up to a predetermined point.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character-described so constructed as to permit creeping of the rail 30. without affecting the lubricating operation.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a rugged and compact rail lubricating device of the character described which shall comprise comparatively few and simple parts,

35* which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and clean, positive in operation, and withal, practical and efhcient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part 40 be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction; combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be m exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application device embodying the invention applied to a v.)

rail;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetailed cross-sectional view of the releasing mechanism;

Fig. 4: is a side elevational view of the lubricating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional View taken on line 1-1 of, Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 2. 10

Referring now in detail to thedrawings, ill

designates a rail having a base H, head 92, and web 13 and mounted upon a pair of spaced, adjacent parallel ties M. The rail lubricating device embodying the-invention comprises gen- 15 erally a clamp 18 attached to the base it of the rail, and supporting a lubricant applicator i i disposed at the side of the rail. A tank 2?! embedded within the roadbed betweenthe ties I4 is connected through conduit 22 to the appli cator, lubricant'from the tank being forced to said applicator by mechanism 23.

More specifically, the clamp iii comprises an elongated member 25 of angular cross-section engaging one edge i la of the rail base it, and provided with a pair of spaced depending apertured ears 26 parallel to theweb of the rail. The clamp 18 furthermore comprisesan elongated member 27 having an angular portion 23 receiving the opposite edge lib of the base, and likewise provided with a pair of spaced depending apertured cars 29 aligned with and parallel to the cars 26. Bolts 30 extending through the apertures in the ears 2%, 29 serve to clamp the membersn25, 2'! onto thebase of the rail. The member 21 is furthermore provided with a horizontal wall 3| disposed above the base of the rail, and has adjacent one end thereof an outwardly extending horizontal arm 52 formed with a slot 33 parallel to the rail. .The wall ti has at the ends thereof apertures M for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Mountedon said wall 3! is the applicator 19. The same comprises a member 36 which may be in the. form of a casting having horizontal eX- tensions or ears 31 at the ends thereof aligned with the apertured ends of the wall ill and likewise being apertured as at 38 to receive the bolts 39 extending through apertures 36, whereby to attach said member 36 to the member 2?. Shims 40b receiving the bolts 39 therethrough are interposed between the members 3! and 35 to adjust the height of the applicator with respect to the rail. Said member 35 furthermore has a pairof parallel horizontal ribs 40 interv connected by vertical end ribs 40a engaging the web I3. Said member 36 is furthermore formed with a vertical elongated upstanding thin wall 42 having a horizontal edge 43 at the upper end thereof and an outer vertical depressed face or surface 44 terminating short of the ends thereof. Said member 35 is also formed with a portion 45 extending outwardly from the face 44 and provided with a horizontal upper face 46. Said portion 45 has an elongated chamber 47 open at the top and communicating with the depressed surface 44. Said portion 45 is furthermore formed with a central downwardly curved nipple 48 and with passages 49 of U shaped cross-section, extending to surface 45 and communicating with said nipple and extending on opposite sides thereof. Said passages 49 which may be formed by coring the casting 39, divide the portion 45 of the casting into an outer wall 490. and a wall 491) between chamber 41 and said passages. The passage 49 communicates with the chamber 41 by means of holes 59 in wall 49b on opposite sides of the mid-section of the applicator, drilled by passing the drill through preformed threaded holes 5i in the front wall 49a closed by plugs 52.

Attached to the top surface 46 of said portion 45 as by bolts 56 and closing passage 49, is a fiat, horizontal, elongated bar 51, to the inner edge of which there is fixed as by rivets 58 a flat thin vertical plate 59 of spring metal having a horizontal upper edge 6| at the same level as the edge 43. The plate 90 is somewhat spaced from the depressed surface 44 thus forming an elongated narrow passage 6Ia communicating with the chamber 41. Said plate 69 contacts the ends of the wall 42, thus closing the opposite ends of the passage 6Ia. It will now be understood that the depth of the depression in the wall 43 is equal to the width of the passages film or the distance separating the surface 44 from the plate 90.

The tank 25 may be of oblong cross-section and has a bottom wall I9, parallel side walls 'II, and parallel end walls I2 integrally formed with said bottom wall, said side and end walls having outwardly extending horizontal flanges I3 at the upper end thereof. Said bottom wall has an upwardly extending central boss 74 formed with a socket or depression 1'5 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. One of the side walls TI is furthermore formed with an opening 15 at the bottom, likewise for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Mounted on the flanges 13 and closing the top of the tank is a tank head IT. The same may be in the form of a casting having a top wall I8, parallel end walls I9, an upwardly and outwardly inclined side wall 80, and an upwardly extending side wall BI. The wall BI is provided with a nipple 82 to which one end of the conduit 22 is attached, the other end thereof being attached to the nipple 48 of the applicator IS. The tank head I! has flanges 83 complementary to flanges l3 and fixed thereto by bolts 84 passing through said flanges. The top wall I8 has a central downwardly extending boss 95 formed with a central bore 86. Screwed within the boss 85 is a packing gland 81 for the purpose hereinafter explained. Said top wall is also formed with a substantially oblong opening 88 at the side thereof adjacent the wall 80. Said top wall is furthermore formed with a downwardly extending boss 90 adjacent the end wall I9 and formed with a through bore 9I. Said top wall also has a plug opening 92 for receiving a plug 93 closing said opening. Extending from wall 8| of the tank head 71 is an integral arm BIa passing beneath the rail I9 and disposed at right angles thereto. The tank may be supported on a wide plate Ha within the roadbed. Rotatably mounted within the bore 86 in the boss 85 is a central, vertical, axial screw having a collar 99 contacting the underside of said boss and a smooth portion 91 passing through the packing gland 81 and upwardly above the top of the tank. The bottom end of the screw 95 has a socket I94, aligned with socket I5, a ball bearing IUI being received within said sockets on which said screw is supported. Screwed on said axial screw 95 is a piston I94 comprising an oblong shaped top plate I95 formed with an internally screw-threaded boss I05 engaging the threads of said screw. Attached to the underside of the plate I05 as by bolts I95a is an oblong bottom plate IU'I formed with a central opening I 07a through which the screw passes. A wiper I99 clamped between the plates I95 and I9? engages the inner surfaces of the tank to prevent leakage around the piston. For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is screwed to the piston I04 an upstanding pin H0 aligned with the opening 9| in the boss 99.

Attached to the upper end 91 of screw 95 and disposed above the tank head TI is a worm wheel III. Fixed to the arm or bracket 8Ia as by screws H4 is a bearing H5 in which is journalled a shaft I I6 disposed beneath the rail I0 and at right angles thereto. There is furthermore mounted on the bracket 8Ia a brace and brake H9 for the shaft H6. Said brace and brake comprise a lower brake portion I20 fixed to the arm ilIa by a pair of vertical screws I2I. Slidably mounted on the screws I2I is an upper brake portion I22 complementary to the portion I29. Said brake portions have semi-cylindrical brake linings I29a and I22a riveted thereto and engaging opposite sides of the shaft I I6. Springs I24 on the screws I2I engaging the nuts I25 at the upper ends of said screws, serve to press the upper brake portion downwardly on the shaft. Fixed to the shaft and disposed between bearing H5 and brake H9, is a ratchet wheel I27 for the purpose hereinafter appearing, the same being disposed substantially in alignment with the slot 33 in the arm 32 of the member 21. Mounted on and depending from the arm 32 of the member 21 is pawl mechanism I40 for rotating the shaft I I6 through coaction with the ratchet l2? in the manner hereinafter appearing as the rail waves when trains or cars pass over the rail. The mechanism I49 comprises a screw threaded rod I4I extending through the slot 33 and having lock nuts I42 at the upper end thereof engaging the upper surface of the arm 32. Attached to the lower end of the screw MI is a yoke I44 having parallel walls I44a provided with vertical slots I45, and disposed on opposite sides of ratchet I21. On the shaft H6 are blocks I46 Slidably received within slots I45 and maintaining the yoke I44 in vertical position. Said blocks I46 are disposed between ratchet wheel I21 and bearing H5 and brake H9, thus preventing axial shifting of shaft HE). A pawl I4! pivoted on a pin I48 interconnecting the walls of said yoke, is spring pressed by spring I49 into engagement with the ratch wheel I21. A nut I50 screwed on the screw I4'I may be adjusted axially to provide variable lost motion between said screw and the arm 32.

As the rail moves 7B up and down, thescrew l4l will. a'lsobe moved up and-down, whereby engagement of the pawl M'lwith the ratchet wheel I21 .will cause intermittent rotationof the shaft H6. If a greater angle of rotation is desired for each. waveuof the rail,. the screw i593 is merely tightened or rotated in a direction to. move the same toward arm .32. The .slot 33 furthermore permits creeping of the rail longitudinally without interfering with the operation of the mechanism MB.

Pivoted to. the tankhead ll asat l5lla is a bracket having a pair of upstanding ears Hillc rotatably supporting a shaft lbtd. Said shaft carries a worm. lblle meshing with the worm wheel Ill. The shaft ilitd is connected by universal joint I50 to the shaft H6 at a point directly above the pivot point lbila.

The opening 88 in the tank head ll may be closed by any suitable clamping closure member 88a for tightly sealing the tank. The operation of the device will now be described.

Grease may be inserted into the tank above the piston through the opening 88. After the tank is full with the piston at the bottom of the tank, the closure member 88a is applied to the opening 35. As trains pass over the rail Ill, the same has a waving or up and down movement, as is well known in the art. The up and down movement of the rail will cause the mechanism [40 to intermittently rotate the shaft H6 which causes rotation of the shaft new. Such operation will cause rotation of the screw 95 for raising the piston and pressing the grease through the conduit 22 and nipple 43 into the passages 49 and through the openings 50 into the chamber 41, the grease being forced upwardly through the thin passage Ela onto the side surface of the headed rail coming up in a thin coiling sheet. The flanges of the wheel take up the grease for lubricating said flanges and carry the lubricant for long distances along the rail..

Means is provided to prevent operation of the lubricating mechanism when the tank has been emptied to a predetermined point. To this end, there is slidably mounted within the bore ii! of the boss 9% a pin 555 having a collar lfila at the bottom end thereof. A coil compression spring W2 isinterposed between the collar Mile. and said boss 9t. At the upper end of the pin is a circular head E53 and a handle 154. The head 1&3 normally engages the outer end of the bracket i5db to retain the worm l5ile in engagement with the worm wheel H l. However, as the piston moves upwardly during operation of the rail lubricating mechanism, the pin HG will engage the underside of the pin liil and lift the latter against the pressure of the spring M2 to raise the head H53 above the bottom wall of the bracket to give the necessary clearance to permit said bracket to be pivoted about its axis, whereby the worm Wile moves out of engagement from the worm wheel iii. A coil compression spring [til interposed between a lug lfil on the tank head and the bracket lEdb serves to move said bracket together with the shaft lblid away from the worm wheel I l l. A pin Hi5 fixed to the tank head serves as a stop to limit rotation of said bracket, The handle I544 on the pin it permits the pin to be raised manually should it be desired to unmesh the worm and worm wheel i596 and Ill.

Escape of air from beneath the piston is permitted through pipe 56% attached to the opening lliionnthe bottom ofthetank. The pipe preferably extends above the rail bed as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The plug 93 may be removed to permit a stick or gauge to be inserted into thetank for the purpose of determining how much grease is in the tank.

Itwill be noted that edges 43 andlil of the Wall 42 and plate fill are only a short distance above the bottom of the rail head. Said wall and plate are very thin and normally the flanges of the wheels will not contact the same. should an extremely worn wheel flange on rare occasion strike the plate 60, no damage or injury Will result because of the resiliency of said plate, thereby insuring long use without appreciable wear or injury. The tank may be located on the inner side of rail Ill (to the right of the rail looking at Fig. 2), without changein the operating mechanism. The entire tank together with the shafts ll'illd and I I6, and the mechanism I40 are merely moved to an opposite position or at 180 degrees from the position now shown in Fig. 2. The screw MI will merely shift in slot 33 when such a change is made. The brake will, in such event come beneath the rail ill.

It will be noted'that the walls 12 of the tank are parallel to the ties l4 and that the tank fits between the ties. By making the tank of oblong transverse cross-section, a. relatively large lubricant content is obtained although the tank is sunk between the relatively close ties.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. in combination with a rail and a pair of adjacent rail ties supporting said rail, a member fixed to said rail and having a chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a tank embedded in the ballast supporting the rail ties and located between said rail ties, conduit means connecting said tank and chamber; and means actuated by the wave of the rail and permitting longitudinal creeping of therail relative to the tank, for forcing lubricant foni said tank to said chamber.

2. A rail lubricating device comprising a member adapted to be attached to the rail and having a chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a tank disposed betweena pair of adjacent ties supporting said rail, a vertical screw in said tank, a piston slidable in said tank having a threaded connection with said screw, conduit means connecting said tank with said chamber, a bearing on said tank, a horizontal shaft journalled in said bearing, a ratchet thereon, means cooperating with said screw and shaft for rotating the former upon rotation of the latter, a member mounted on said first member and having an adjustable, vertical lost motion connection therewith and carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet for intermittently rotating the same when trains pass over the rail.

3. A rail lubricating device comprising a clamp having portions engaging opposite edges of the base of the rail and being bolted together; one- However,

of said portions having an arm formed with a slot parallel to the rail, a member fixed to said portion and having a chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a member carrying a pawl having a portion extending through said slot and being supported by said arm, a tank embedded in the road bed and between a pair of adjacent rail ties, a conduit connecting said tank and chamber, and means on said tank cooperating with said pawl, for forcing lubricant in said tank through said conduit to said chamber.

4. A rail lubricating device comprising a member adapted to be attached to the rail and having a chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a tank disposed between a pair of adjacent ties supporting said rail, a vertical screw in said tank, a piston slidable in said tank having a threaded connection with said screw, conduit means connecting said tank with said chamber, a bearing on said tank, a horizontal shaft journalled in said bearing, a ratchet thereon, means cooperating with said screw and shaft for rotating the former upon rotation of the latter, a member mounted on said first member and having an adjustable, vertical lost motion connection therewith and carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet for intermittently rotating the same when trains pass over the rail, and a friction brake on said tank engaging said shaft.

5. A rail lubricating device comprising a clamp adapted to be attached to a rail, a member fixed to said clamp having an elongated chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a tank adapted to be embedded within the road bed, a conduit interconnecting said tank with said member, an axial screw in said tank, a piston slidably mounted within said tank and having screw threaded engagement with said screw, a worm wheel on said screw above the tank, a bracket pivoted to said tank, a bearing on said tank, a shaft rotatably mounted within said bearing, a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a member mounted on said clamp and having a pawl adapted to rotate said ratchet as the rail moves up and down when trains pass over the rail, a second shaft mounted on said pivoted bracket and having a universal connection to said first shaft, and a worm on said second shaft meshing with said worm wheel.

6. A rail lubricating device comprising a clamp adapted to be attached to a rail, a member fixed to said clamp having an elongated chamber and a passage leading from said chamber to the head of the rail, a tank adapted to be embedded within the road bed, a conduit interconnecting said tank with said member, an axial screw in said tank, a piston slidably mounted within said tank and having screw threaded engagement with said screw, a worm wheel on said screw above the tank, a bracket pivoted to said tank, a bearing on said tank, a shaft rotatably mounted within said bearing, a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a member mounted on said clamp and having a pawl adapted to rotate said ratchet as the rail moves up and down when trains pass over the rail, a second shaft mounted on said pivoted bracket and having a universal connection to said first shaft, a worm on said second shaft meshing with said worm wheel, means for holding said worm in mesh with said worm wheel, and means for releasing said holding means when the piston reaches a predetermined position in said tank.

7. In combination with a rail, a device for lubricating the rail comprising means, adapted to be fixed to the rail, for depositing the lubricant on the rail head, a tank adapted to be embedded within the rail bed beneath the rail, a conduit interconnecting said tank with said means, a piston slidably movable within said tank, a screw within said tank having screw threaded engagement with said piston, a bearing on said tank, a shaft rotatably mounted within said bearing, a second shaft having a universal connection to the said first shaft, a worm and worm wheel connection between said second shaft and said screw, a ratchet on said first shaft, and a member mounted on said means for vertical reciprocation therewith and having a pawl in engagement with said ratchet.

8. A device for lubricating a rail comprising a member adapted to be attached to the rail and having a passage terminating adjacent the rail head, a tank adapted to be embedded within the rail bed and connected to said member by a conduit, a piston slidable within said tank, a vertical screw within said tank having screw threaded engagement with said piston, and means operated by the wave of the rail when a train passes over the rail for rotating said screw, said last means including means to permit creeping of the rail.

9. In combination with a rail supported by ties, a member fixed to said rail and having a passage open at the top adjacent the head of the rail, a tank embedded within the road bed between a pair of adjacent ties, conduit means connecting said tank and passage, a vertical screw in said tank, a piston in said tank having a screw threaded engagement with said screw, a bearing on said tank, a shaft perpendicular to the rail journalled in said bearing, means connecting said shaft with said screw for rotating the latter upon rotation of the former, a friction brake on said tank engaging said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft and located between said bearing and said brake, and a member mounted on said first member carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet.

10. In combination with a rail supported by ties, a member fixed to said rail and having a passage open at the top adjacent the head of the rail, a tank embedded within the road bed between a pair of adjacent ties, conduit means connecting said tank and passage, a vertical screw in said tank, a piston in said tank having a screw threaded engagement with said screw, a bearing on said tank, a shaft perpendicular to the rail journalled in said bearing, means connecting said shaft with said screw for rotating the latter upon rotation of the former, a friction brake on said tank engaging said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft and located between said bearing and said brake, and a member mounted on said first member carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet, said last member having a pair of parallel slotted walls, the ratchet being disposed between said walls, said shaft extending through the slots in said walls, and blocks slidably mounted in said slots and having openings rotatably receiving said shaft.

11. In combination with a rail supported by ties, a member fixed to said rail and having a passage open at the top adjacent the head of the rail, a tank embedded within the road bed between a pair of adjacent ties, conduit means connecting said tank and passage, a vertical screw in said tank, a piston in said tank having a screw threaded engagement with said screw, a bearing on said tank, a shaft perpendicular to the rail journalled in said bearing, means connecting said shaft with said screw for rotating the latter upon rotation of the former, a friction brake on said tank engaging said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft and located between said bearing and said brake, and a member mounted on said first member carrying a pawl engaging said ratchet, said last member having a pair of parallel slotted walls, the ratchet being disposed between said walls, said shaft extending through the slots in said walls, and blocks slidably mounted in said slots and having openings rotatably receiving said shaft, said last member having a vertical adjustable lost motion connection with said first member. v

12. A device for lubricating a rail comprising a member attached to the rail and having a portion extending away from the web of the rail and formed with a top horizontal surface and a recess in said surface, and a vertical wall extending above said surface and terminating in a horizontal edge adjacent the head of the rail, a member fixed to the outwardly extending portion and resting on said horizontal surface and covering said recess, and a plate on the outer face of said vertical wall forming therewith a passage communicating with said recess.

13. A device for lubricating a rail comprising a member attached to the rail and having a portion extending away from the web of the rail and formed with a top horizontal surface and a recess in said surface constituting a chamber and a vertical wall extending above said surface and terminating in a horizontaledge adjacent the head of the rail, a member fixed to the outwardly extending portion and resting on said horizontal surface and covering said recess, a plate on the outer face of said vertical wall forming therewith a passage communicating with said chamber, a nipple on said outwardly extending portion of said member, said member being formed with a second passage communicating with said nipple and having communication with said chamber on opposite sides of said nipple.

14. In combination with a pair of rails, a pair of adjacent rail ties supporting said rails, a member fixed to one of said rails and having a passage leading to the head of said rail, a vertical tank embedded in the ballast supporting said rail ties,

an axial vertical screw within said tank, a piston within the tank engaging said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, conduit means connecting said tank with said passage, means actuated by the wave of one of said rail ties for rotating said screw, said means being arranged to permit longitudinal creeping of the rail relative to said tank, and means mounted at the top of the tank and controlled by said piston to render said first means inoperative.

1 In combination with a pair of rails, a clamp comprising a pair of members engaging opposite edges of the base of one of said rails, means for attaching said members together, a member mounted on one of said first members and having an opening adjacent the head of said rail, a vertical tank embedded within the ballast supporting said rails and having a vertical axial screw, a piston non-rotatably mounted within said tank and having threaded engagement with said screw, a conduit connecting said tank with the member mounted on the clamp, clutch means controlled by the wave of one of said rails for rotating said screw, a spring pressed member mounted on said tank and adapted to be raised by the piston, and means controlled by said spring pressed member to render said clutch means inoperative.

16. In combination with a pair of rails and a pair of adjacent ties supporting said rails, a rail lubricating device mounted adjacent one of said rails and having a single, elongated, thin slot disposed longitudinally of the rail and in a Vertical plane substantially parallel to one side surface of the head of the rail and closely adjacent thereto, a vertical tank embedded within the ballast supporting said rails and between said rail ties, conduit means connecting said tank with said rail lubricating device, an axial screw within said tank, a piston non-rotatably mounted within said tank and having screw-threaded connection with said piston, means controlled by waveof one of said rails for rotating said screw, means on said tank controlled by said piston for rendering said first means inoperative, said last means comprising a member slidably mounted on the head of the tank, and a spring for lowering said member, and said piston being adapted to raise said member against the pressure of said spring.

CHARLES STERN. 

